The Elements Bible: The Definitive Guide to 350 Years of Scientific Discovery

Everything you need to know about the fundamental materials that make up our world.

This book unlocks the fascinating workings behind the building blocks of life, from the discovery of the very first elements to the formal naming in 2016 of the recently discovered elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 on the seventh row of the periodic table. They are now known as nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts) and oganesson (Og), respectively.

The Elements Bible makes the science and logic behind the daunting periodic table easier to comprehend and remember. Sections include:

• Mendeleev and the creation of the periodic table
• Atomic physics
• Patterns and trends within the periodic table
• Information about each individual element, from alkali metals and transition metals, through to noble gases, actinides and lanthanides
• Energy, stability, chemical reactions and how elements interact
• The uses of specific elements
• The composition and characteristics of the elements: neutrons, protons, electrons, weight, particles, radiation
• Stories of the scientists who often risked life and limb in their pursuit of new elements
• Modern scientific discoveries, and the naming of new elements.

The text is set out in clear brief segments to avoid complexity that can overwhelm readers. The generous use of illustrations provides additional clarity.

The Elements Bible introduces a complex subject and also provides insight into the extraordinary underlying stories and facts that you don't normally hear about. Fully illustrated and packed with quirky illustrations, helpful diagrams and historical anecdotes, it is sure to satisfy those seeking to understand the most fundamental ingredients of the universe.

Rebecca Mileham has a degree in Physics and a masters in Science Communication from Imperial College, London. She is a freelance writer specializing in science and technology, and her books include Global Pollution. She lives in the UK.